Ladder.



A. F. TANK.

LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR:8, 1916.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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AUGUST F. TANK, OF SNOVER, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 CHARLES J. OLESON, OF SANDUSKY, MICHIGAN.

LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Y '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ;\UGUST F. TANK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Snover, in the county of Sanilac and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improved ladderof that type used on barns, and

the like, to admit quick and easy access to the top of the barn or building, in case of fire, and which may also be used as a fire escape. I

An object of the present invention is to provide a strong durable ladder of economical construction, which is adapted for securenient to the outside of a building, which may be bent over corners or angles of roofs, or the like, in securing the ladder in position, and to provide a ladder construction which may be easily assembled and easily secured in place upon the building or other support, where the ladder is desired.

An important feature of the present invention is to provide a ladder which is made up of longitudinal wire strands, transverse rungs spaced longitudinally along the strands, and having threaded opposite ends, and a bracket of strap iron, or the like, which is adapted to be secured against the wall of the support or building, and which has its outer end overturned to provide a loop to receive therethrough the adjacent longitudinal strand. The loop is held in shape, and is compressed about the longitudinal strand by passing the adjacent threaded end of a rung through the sides ofthe loop, and turning-mp tightly a pair of opposed nuts,-which are mounted on the threaded end of the rung to bind against the opposite sides of the loop to flatten the same. These nuts, therefore, flatten the loop to bind the bracket on the longitudinal strand, and also bind the rung rigidly to the outer end of the bracket.

These objects and advantages will be more particularly brought out in the following specific disclosure of the present preferred embodiment of the invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing. wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of the improved ladder, as applied to the side of a building, showing the upper end of the ladder bent over. the eaves of the roof. Fig. 2 is a detail, enlarger, perspec tive view of one of the attaching brackets, and the connection between the longitudinal strand and the adjacent end of one of the rungs. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the attaching brackets, showing its connection to the longitudina: strand and'the rung.

Referring to this drawing, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference throughout the several views, the ladder is made up of a pair of longitudinal strands or side rods 10, spaced apart, and, as shown in Fig. 1, extend upw ardly in substantially parallel relation against the side of a wall or support 11. The upper ends of these strands 10, which are made preferably of heavy wire, such as number 8 wire, are bent over the eavesor edge of the roof 12, and extend upwardly upon the same. These side rods 10 are provided with a plurality of rungs 13 Spaced apart longitudinally of the rods 10, and which form'therewith'the ladder.

For the purpose of connecting the opposite ends of the rungs 13 to the side rods 10, and also for the purpose of securing the ladder in outwardly spaced relation, against the support 11, a plurality of brackets of' improved construction is provided. Each one of these brackets comprises a length of strap iron, or the like, which has a straight intermediate portion, forming a bracket arm 14:, which has its inner end" bent laterally to provide an attaching ear 15 adapted to'lie fiat against the support 11. This ear 15 is shown in the present instance as being overturned outwardly from the inner end of the arm 14, and being apertured as at 16, to receive therethrough a bolt, rivet, or any other suitable fastening device 17, which passes through the ear 15 and into the support 11. Under some conditions, the attachingmeans may be omitted and the ear simply bear a g'ainst" the support. This attaching ear constitutes a flat base portion for the bracket, so as to hold it firmly against the support. The ladder is, therefore, firmly secured against the wall or support 11. 'The outer end of the arm 14L is overturned to provide a. loop 18, which engages about the intermediate f portion of the longitudinal strand or rod 10. The arm 14 is apertureo, as at 19, near its outer end, and the overturned extremity of the arm is apertured as at 21. The end 22 of the rung 13 is threaded for a substantial distance inwardly of the rung, and this threaded portion .2 passes through the openings 21 and 19 at the inner end of the loop 18, and inwardly of the strand 10. Opposed binding nuts 28 and 24 are mounted on the threaded end 22 of the rung, the inner binding nut 23 engaging against the overturned extremity of the bracket, while the outer binding nut 24: engages against the outer face of the arm 14; of the bracket. lVhen these binding nuts 28 and 2a are turned up against the opposite sides of the loop 18, the loop is flattened or compressed about the strand 10, so as to bind the strand in the loop and hold the strand from sliding movement through the outer end of the bracket. At the same time, the rung 13 is rigidly mounted in the outer end of the bracket, adjacent to the strand or side rod 10, so that the strand and the rung are firmly united, and the connecting or uniting means constitutes not only a support for the ladder, but also means for spacing the ladder outwardly from the support 11 to provide foot room to admit easy passage up and down over the ladder.

This improved ladder is adapted to be attached to the outside of buildings, and to be subjected to all weather conditions. It is, therefore, desirable to galvanize, or otherwise suitably protect the wires 10, the rungs 13, which are formed from preferably number 4 wire, and the strap iron brackets. The brackets are positioned at each juncture of the rungs and the longitudinal strands, so that the ladder is sufficiently braced throughout its entire length, and is firmly secured against the support Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the N Washington, I) C.

11. As the longitudinal strands or side rods are made of wire, the ladder may be easily bent into various angles, so as to carry the ladder over roofs of various angles, and corners of roofs. The device may also be used in the capacity of a fire escape, as this improved ladder may be applied to practically any support, and in practically any position. It is, of course, understood that each rung has each of its ends 22 threaded, and the outstanding brackets are arranged in opposed pairs joining the adjacent end of the rung 13 to the adjacent side rod or strand 10. By this means the rungs 13 may be spaced apart any desired distance, for the loops 18 may be slid along the strands 10 to secure the desired adjustment.

hat is claimed is:

In aladder, longitudinal strands, brackets having their inner ends provided with means for bearing against a Wall or other support, said brackets having their outer ends overturned to provide loops for engagement about said longitudinal strands, a rung having threaded ends engaging through the sides of the loops inwardly of the longitudinal strands, and a pair of binding nuts threaded on the ends of the rung and engaging against the opposite sides of the loops to compress the same about the longitudinal strands and secure the rung and the longitudinal strands to the outer ends of the brackets.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my oWn,'I have hereto afi ixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST F. TANK.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HANDS, JOHN CAWoon.

Commissioner of Patents 

